Accounting machine



W. A. ANDERSON ACCOUNTING MACHINE Dec. 12, 1944.

Filed Dec. 21, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l Egg . r 7 k a v a QC C INVENTOR WATER A. A y

N015 R5 ON ATTORNEY Dec. 2, 1944. w. A. ANDERSON ACCOUNTING MACHINE Fil'ed Dec. 21, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Eumum web! IN V E NTO R WALTER A. ANDERSON Ki ATTORN EY Dec. 12,- 1944. v w. AJANDERSON 2,364,769

ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1959 5 snee'ts-sh et s INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORN EY .Dec. 12, 1944. w, A, ANDERSON 2,364,769

ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1939 5 Sheets-Shet 4 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORN EY 'Dec. 12, 1944. w ANDERSON 2,364,769

ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON BY {W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1944 ACCOUNTING MACHINE I Walter A. Anderson,

to Underwood York, N.

Bridgeport, Conn., assignor Elliott Fisher Company, New Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1939, Serial No. 310,219

3 Claims. (Cl. 235-60) This invention relates to accounting machines and more particularly to a means for preventing the automatic printing of negative totals.

Many accounting machines are equipped with a plurality of adding and subtracting totalizers. These totalizers are arranged to be jointly or independently selected, and may be used to compute balances of debit and credit postings entered during bookkeeping operations. In such operations it is customary to automatically print the total under the control of the traveling carriage when the carriage reaches the balance column of the bookkeepin form, Generally, this total printing occurs even though the particular totalizer selected has been overdrafted and the total is negative.

However, in certain bookkeeping operations it is' desirable to prevent automatic printing of negative totals, i. e., to stop the machine before the total is printed, so that the operator is notifled that an overdraft has occurred. It is often desirable to do this in connection with more than one totalizer.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a machine, having a plurality of adding and subtracting totalizers, with an automatically operable means for preventing automatic printing of negative totals, and yet which will permit the printing of such totals when desired by the operator depressing the customary motor bar in the usual manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an overdraft lock which automatically becomes effective, upon the occurrence of an overdraft in either totalizer, to prevent the automatic printing of a negative total from the overdrafted totalizer, but which will not affect the automatic printing of a positive total from the other totalizer.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an accounting machine embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the keyboard thereof,

Figure 3 is a right side elevation showing the actuating mechanism and certain of the parts used in conditioning the machine for the taking of positive or negative totals,

Figure 4 is a right side elevation showing the automatically control totalizer selecting mech anism with the parts in position for selecting the upper crossfooter alone,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the automatic motor repeat and overdraft lock release carriage controls,

Figure 6 15a detail perspective view (greatly enlarged) of the overdraft lock, together with appurtenant parts for controlling the operation thereof,

Figure 7 is a right side elevation showing the overdraft lock in eflective position and being actuated under the control of mechanism associated with the lower totalizer, and

'Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but. showing the overdraft lock being actuated to effective position under the control of mechanism associated with the upper totalizer.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION This machine is an improvement on the applications of Oscar J. Sundstrand, Serial No. 581,800 filed December 18, 1931, now Patent No. 2,194,270, and Serial No. 88,092, filed June 30, 1936, now Patent No. 2,209,240, and the application of Walter A. Anderson, Serial No. 182,682, filed December 31, 1937, now Patent No. 2,226,960.

The machine includes the customary keyboard with amount keys, date keys and totalizer controlling keys. It has the customary traveling paper carriage that is automatically tabulated from column to column, and which is automatically returned from a predetermined point in the carriage travel. The carriage includes a control plate carrying a series of magazines with control lugs for automatically controlling the numerous operations that are controlled manually by the keyboard.

The machine includes eight adding registers (not shown) and two adding and subtracting totalizers, four registers and one totalizer being located in an upper group, and the other four registers and totalizer being located in a lower group. All of the registers and totalizers are actuated by a common set of actuators, adjustable under control of pins set by the amount keys. The actuators also control the adjustment of type for printing amounts and totals. Each totalizer has separate transfer elements, and each is provided with'overdraft mechanism for controlling the printing of negative balances.

The totalizers are selected manually by a lever operating independently of th selecting means for theiadding registers. In its normal forward position this lever selects the upper totalizer. When moved one step to its intermediate position it selects both totalizers, and when moved another step to its rear position it selects the lower totalizer. The totalizers are automatically selected under the control of lugs in magazines mounted on the carriage control plate. When there is no lug in the totalizer selecting position of a magazine, the upper totalizer is selected. A short lug in this position of the magazine selects both upper and lower totalizers, while a full length lug selects the lower totalizer alone.

Totals or sub-totals may be taken either automatically or manually from either the lower or upper totalizers. To take totals manually, the shift lever is moved to either its forward or rear position to select the desired totalizer, and a blank cycle taken, the totalizer total or sub-total key is then depressed, and the machine again operated.

To take totalizer totals automatically, the desired totalizer is selected by the carriage as] expained above. The machine is then given a blank cycle of operation (also by the carriage), and the carriage advances to the next columnar position where total or sub-total lugs control the machine to take the total out of the selected totalizer.

The mechanism for selecting and actuating the totalizers as described in the foregoing is dis-= closed in detail in the aforementioned applications. Therefore, only a brief description of these parts will be given.

The present invention provides a lock that is operable under the control of overdraft mechanism associated with the upper and lower totalizers and that cooperates with the carriage controlled motor repeat mechanism in such a manner as to prevent operation of the latter for cycling the machine, when an overdraft has occurred in the totalizer from which the total is to be taken. The lock. isarranged to be held ineffective in all columnar positions except the new balance columnar positions.

mrAILsp Dascnrprron Index of topics 1. The machine sections and actuating mechanism Referring to Figure 1, the machine includes a keyboard, type bars I for printing on the inserted paper, a laterally movable paper carriage indicated generally at 2, mounted on a track 3. and a control plate 4 mounted on the traveling carriageand having a plurality of control magazines 5 for controlling the various operations in prede-' termined columnar positions. The carriage is provided with the customary roller platen 6 for the insertion of the paper at the rear thereof,

I and a customary bail structure I for use in teeding paper sheets in front of the platen.

The machine also includes eight adding registers (not shown), arranged in two groups situated one above the other, there being four registers in each group. The selection, engagement and actuation of these registers is Iully shown and described in the before-mentioned application Serial No. 88,092. Each of these registers includes a plurality of ten-tooth wheels, and each is operable for adding only.

Situated in front of these registers are two adding and subtracting totalizers, each having a plurality of twenty-tooth wheels H and I2 (Figure 3). These totalizers are arranged for both addition and subtraction.

The conditioning of the machine for adding,

subtracting, non-adding, total taking, sub-total taking, computing selectively in the various registers and totalizers, etc., is controlled manually by the keys and levers situated at the right hand side of the keyboard (Figures 1 and 2). These operations may be controlled automatically by selector levers such as those shown in Figure 5, under the control oi? the traveling carriage.

The machine is actuated by an electric motor (not shown). The motor is started by the closing of suitable switch mechanism, and is coupled to an actuating shaft i3 (Figures 8 and 4) by a suitable clutch mechanism upon depression of a motor bar M (Figure 1). The actuating shaft is connected with the motor drive in such a manner that it is rocked, first, counter-clockwise (Figure 3), and then clockwise, about ninety degrees during each operation of the machine.

2. Totalizers-in general The two adding and subtracting totalizers are each composed of a number of twenty-tooth wheels H and i2 (Figure 3) engageable with actuating racks i5 and 56 for adding and subtracting respectively in the upper totalizer, and with racks H and [8 for adding and subtracting respectively in the lower totalizer. The two totalizers are each provided with a set of the usual transfer elements (not shown). These totalizers, together with their transfer and actuating elements are identical with those disclosed in application Serial No. 581,800, and therefore will not be described in detail.

3. Selection of the totalizers The totalizers may be selected either manually or automatically for independent or joint engagement with their actuating racks. The manual means for selecting the totalizers comprises a lever 2| (Figure 4) pivoted on a stud 22 and carrying a stud 23 on its lower arm. Lever 2| is movable to any of three positions, as indicated by numerals 1, 2 and 3 in Figure 4. A pair of identical detent arms 24 are pivoted on a common stud 25 and each has three opposing notches adapted to embrace stud 23. A strong spring 26 hold-s the latch arms together to retain lever 2| in any moved positions The studs 22 and 25 are mounted on a plate 21 secured to the machine frame. When lever 21 is in position No. l indicated in Figure 4, the upper totalizer is selected for engagement. When the lever is in its intermediate or No. 2 position, both totalizers are selected forgnsagement, and when the lever is in its No. 3 position, the lower totalizer'is selected for engagement.

A slide 28 is pivoted on a stud 3| on the upper arm of lever 2|, and is slldably mounted at its rear end on a stud 32 in the machine frame. The rear end of slide 28 is rounded and underlies a flange 33 formed on a totalizer selection blank 34. Blank 34 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 35 in the machine frame, and is,tensioned countedclockwise by a spring 36 fastened between the blank and the machine frame. This counter-clockwise tension is restricted by flange 33 contacting slide 28. Blank 34 is provided at its forward end with two notches 31 and 38 below flange 33. The notches 31 and 38 are arranged to engage a, square stud 4| projecting from an upstanding arm 42 on the rear of a totalizer control slide 43. Slide 43 corresponds to the slide 31 in application Serial No. 182,682 and is similarly mounted for forward and rearward movement on the machine frame under the control of a roller 44 carried by an arm 45 secured to actuating shaft l3. The arm 45 in its normal position (when the machine is at rest), shown in Figure 4, holds slide 43 sufilcientlyrearward against suitable spring tension that normally urges it forward, to provide clearance between stud 4| and notch 31 to permit adjustment of the latter without hindrance from these parts.

As previously stated, when the machine is cycled, actuating shaft I3 is rocked first counterclockwise and then clockwise back to normal position. When lever 2| is in its No. 1 position, slide 28 retains blank 34 in a position where notch 31 lies in the path of the forward movement of stud 4| of the totalizer control slide 43.

When it is desired to accumulate in both totalizers jointly, the totalizer selecting lever 2| is moved to its No. 2 or intermediate position. When it is so moved, it moves slide 28 rearwardly, and by virtue of contact with flange 33 it cams selection blank 34 clockwise about its pivot 35 against tension of spring 36 a distance sufficient to raise lower notch 38 into the path of stud 4| on the control slide 43. Spring 26 of detent arms 24 is superior to spring 36 of blank 34, and thus maintains the blank in its adjusted position. When the machine is cycled following the adjustment of the parts, as above described, slide 43 is permitted to come further forward than when notch 31 lies in the path of stud 4|, and thus permits selection of both of the totalizers for engagement with the actuating racks.

When it is desired to accumulate in the lower totalizer to the exclusion of the upper totalizer, selectinglever 2| is moved to its No. 3 position.

This causes slide 28 to move an additional step rearwardly and cams selection blank 34 an additional step clockwise, raising notch 38 above the path of stud 4|, Cycling of the machine with lever 2| in this position allows slide 43 to move to its extreme forward position wherein the lower totalizer is selected.

Automatic selection of the totalizer is under the control of lugs contained in magazines 5 secured on the control plate 4. The general manher in which these lugs act upon various mechanism for controlling the machine functions, with one exception, is well known, and is fully described in application Serial No. 581,800 and will, therefore, not be given here. From Figure 5, it will be observed that as thecarriage advances intoits various columnar positions, the control lugs depress corresponding levers, which in turn depress corresponding rods. The exception mentioned is the automatic totalizer selection control that occupies what is known as the No. 18 or the rearmost carriage control position. The end 46 (Figure 4) of this lever (which is similar to the levers shown in Figure 5) overlies the upper endof a vertically disposed slide 41 mounted on studs 48 on the machine frame. The lower end of slide 41 carries a stud 5| which lies in the bifurcated end of a rearward extension formed on totalizer selection blank 34. Spring 36 normally holds slide 41 in its elevated position. When the control lugs depress lever 46, slide 41 is moved downwardly, rocking blank 34 clockwise about pivot 35 against the tension of spring 36, The degree of movement imparted to slide 41 determines which totalizer shall be selected.

During automatic selection, the manual selecting lever 2| is left in its No. 1 position. When it is desired to automatically select the upper totalizer in a certain columnar position, the No. 18 (totalizer selecting) position of the magazine 5 is not provided with a lug. When the carriage tabulates to this columnar position and the machine is cycled by the automatic motor repeat mechanism to be later described, notch 31 of blank 34 lies in the path of stud 4| the same as described in connection with manual selection of the upper totalizer, and the upper totalizer is, therefore, selected.

When it is desired to automatically select the totalizers for joint operation, a short lug is placed in the No. 18 totalizer selecting position of magazine 5 of the columnar position in which such joint selection is desired. When the carriage tabulates to the position of this magazine, selector 46 is partially depressed and slide." moved downwardly a sufficient distance to rock selection blank 34 to a position where notch 38 lies in the path of stud 4| and, as above explained in connection with manual selection of the totalizers, movement of blank 34 to this position results in selection of both totalizers upon operation of the machine.

The lower totalizer is automatically selected by placing a full length lug in the No. 18 position of the appropriate magazine. When the carriage tabulates to this magazine, this full length lug depresses slide 41 its full distance of travel, which in turn moves blank 34 clockwise its full amount about pivot 35. This, as before described, permits slide 43 to move forward its full amount of travel upon operation, of the machine to select the lower totalizer to the exclusion of the upper, as previously described in connection with manual selection thereof under the control of lever 2|.

The parts connected with and controlled by the movement of slide 43 to effect selection of the totalizers, is disclosed in detail in application Serial No. 182,682.

4. Engagement of the tota'lizers Having made the proper totalizer selection, en-

gagement thereof with the actuating racks is next effected. Engagement of the totalizers is accomplished on this machine by parts identical with and operable in exactly the same manner its clockwise direction during the second half of the cycle, the totalizers being disengaged and engaged singly or jointly in accordance with their selection.

5. Actuation of the totalizers The actuation of the totalizers following their engagement with the adding or subtracting racks has been fully described in the co-pending applications Serial Nos. 581,800 and 88,092, of Oscar J. Sundstrand. hereinbefore mentioned. It will be sufficient to state that these racks |5 to l8 (Figure 3) are arranged for simultaneous vertical reciprocable movement during every machine cycle. When the upper totalizer is engaged, their action is only upon the totalizer wheels I I; when both upper and lower totallzers are engaged, their action is upon totalizer wheels H and I2 jointly; and when the lower totalizer is engaged exclusive of the upper totalizer, their action is solely upon the totalizer wheels l2.

Actuation of the totalizers during subtracting operations is the same as in adding operations except that the selected totalizer or totalizers are engaged with the subtracting racks |6|8 instead of the adding racks |5-|1, during the second half of the accumulating cycle. The mechanism for causing such engagement is under the control of a subtract key 52 (Figure 2) and a corresponding carriage controlled lever 53 (Figure 3). This mechanism is identical with the subtraction mechanism disclosed in the above enumerated applications, and, briefly, comprises a slide 5!] (Figure 4), corresponding to the slide I28 in application Serial No. 182,682, that is moved toward the left as viewed in this figure when either key 52 or lever 53 is depressed. Movement of the slide to the left conditions parts of the totalizer engaging mechanism, as disclosed in the above enumerated applications, to cause engagement of the totalizer with the subtracting racks upon the next operation of the machine.

6. Taking totals from the totalizers When it is desired to take a total from either the upper or the lower totalizer, it i necessary to put the machine through a blank cycle with the selecting lever 2| (Figure 4) in either its forward or rearmost position. This blank cycle is for the dual purpose of restoring any tripped transfer elements and for engaging the selected totalizer with its actuating racks. As before stated, the totalizer engaging mechanism is identical with that disclosed in the previously mentioned applications, and hence a detailed description is unnecessary. Suffice it to say that with lever 2| in its forward position during the blank cycle, the upper totalizer will be engaged preparatory to taking a total. Similarly, with lever 2| in its rearmost position during the blank cycle, the lower totalizer will be engaged preparatory to taking a total.

On the next or total taking cycle, the timing of the totalizer engaging mechanism is altered either by depression of the totalizer total key 54 (Figure 2) or by operation of the corresponding carriage controlled lever 55 (Figure 3), as explained in the above mentioned applications. This change in timing of the engaging mechanism results in the selected totalizer being held in engagement with the racks during the ascent of the racks as shaft |3 swings counter-clockwise on the first half of the cycle, and disengagement of the totalizer from the racks just prior to their descent as shaft l3 swings clockwise during the latter half of the cycle Printing of the total takes place when the racks and their associated type bars have risen to the highest positions of their differential movement under control of the totalizer wheels and before the disengagement of the totalizer and subsequent descent of the bars and racks. The printing mechanism is similar to that disclosed in the previously mentioned applications.

Ordinarily, in bookkeeping operations, it is desirable to automatically print the total of balances that have been computed in the totalizer upon the carriage reaching the new balance columnar position of the bookkeeping form. This is accomplished by placing a control lug in that position of the new balance magazine 5' that controls depression of selector lever 55 (Figure 3) and also placing 2. lug such as 56 (Figure 5) in that position of this same magazine that controls operation of certain automatic motor repeat mechanism now to be described. This automatic motor repeat mechanism includes a selector lever 51 pivoted at one end on a rod 58 stationary in the machine frame. The outer end of lever 51 overlies a rod 6| suitably guided for vertical movement in the machine frame and having its lower end resting upon a horizontal arm of a bell crank 62 (Figure 3) pivoted at 63 in the machine frame. A vertical arm 64 of this bell crank (see also Figure 6) is recessed to receive the rear end of a link 65 corresponding to link 826 in application Serial No. 581,800. As disclosed in that application, the forward end of link 65 is suitably connected with the motor switch controlling and clutch engaging mechanism that is operated manually by motor bar l4 so that as the carriage advances to the new balance column, lug 56 depresses lever 51, rocking bell crank 62 clockwise about pivot 63 and thrusting link 65 toward the left to initiate an automatic cycle, during which, due to the presence of a total 111g, in this magazine, the selector lever 55 is also depressed and a total from the selected totalizer is normally automatically printed.

'1. Control exercised by the totalizers for conditioning the machine for taking negative totals Totalizer wheels II and I2 are normally in mesh with adding racks l5 and [1 respectively (Figure 3) in both accumulating and total taking operations. As before stated, depression of the substraction key 52 or the correspondin carriage controlled lever 53 conditions mechanism for engaging the selected totalizer with its corresponding set of subtracting racks H5 or l8 in accumulating operations. A mechanism similar to that disclosed in the previously mentioned applications is provided On this machine to insure automatic engagement of the selected totalizer with the subtracting racks during the blank cycle preceding the taking of a total in the event that the totalizer has become overdrafted, i. e., credit amounts have exceeded debit amounts creating a negative total.

This mechanism includes a slide 55 (Figures 3, 4 and 6) guided for horizontal reciprocation forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, said slide being impelled forward by a spring 61. On the rear end of slide 66 is an inwardly projecting arm 68 (see Figure 6) arranged to engage an upstanding arm H on slide 50 operated by subtraction key 52 or lever 53, for the purpose of pushing the slide 50 toward the left (Figure 4) into effective position. After each operation of slide 66, it is restored to its normal rear position by a cam 12 (Figure 3) secured to actuating shaft I8, the cam engaging a roller I8 on the slide as the actuating shaft approaches the end of its return movement. A

Slide 68 is .prevented from operating to move slide 58 into effective position except when there is an overdraft in the selected totalizer. This mechanism includes an, overdraft slide I4 (Figure 6), movable transversely of" the machine. Slide I4 carries an upstanding post I! lying normally in the path of a shoulder 16 on slide 66 to prevent said slide from moving forward under the influence of its spring 61. A spring 1! connected between slide I4 and the machine frame tends to move the slide ,to the right as viewed in Figure 6 to remove post I from the path of shoulder I8.

When there is a positive balance in the totalizer, slide I4 is prevented from moving to the right under the influence of spring II to release slide 66 by a stop arm I8 (see also Figure 3) fixed to a bail 8| pivoted on a rod 82. The upper end of bail 8| is arranged to be moved by a link 83 whenever the totalizer passes through zero in either direction. When passing from positive to negative, link 83 moves to the right (Figure 3), thereby lowering stop arm I8, and when passing from negative to positive, it raises stop arm I8 to the position shown in Figures 3 and 6. A lever 84-(Figure 6) is pivoted on slide I4 at 85 and is tensioned counter-clockwise by a spring 86 con nected between the lever and slide. A stud M on slide I4 restrains lever 84 in the position shown in Figure 6. The right end of lever 84 lies normally in the same horizontal plane as the end of stop arm I8. Thus, when there is a positive balance in the totalizer, lever 84 and slide I4 are held by stop arm I8 in position to enable post I5 to prevent slide 661mm moving leftward. However, when there is a negative balance in the totalizer, slide 14 is permitted to move to the right under the influence of spring II, removing post 15 from the path of shoulder 16, allowing slide 66 to pull slide 58toward the left, as viewed in Figure 4, to condition the totalizer for subtraction.

In operations in which slide I4 is permitted to move to the right (Figure 6), it is restored to its left hand or normal position at the very end of the same operation by a lever 88 (Figure 3) pivoted on a stud 8| on the machine frame and operated by an upturned lug 82 thereon lying in the path of rearward movement of the rear end of slide 66. As slide 66 returns to its rear position, it contacts lug 82 andswings lever 88 about pivot 8|, causing the left end of lever 88 to strike a stud 83 on slide I4 and move the slide to the position shown in Figure 6. v

By the above described mechanism, it is apparent that when the totalizer contains a negative balance, post I5 (Figure 6) will be out of the path of leftward movement of slide 66, allowing this slide to pull slide 58 leftward to engage the totalizer with its subtracting racks during the blank cycle preparatory to the taking of a total. With the totalizer engaged with the subtraction racks, depression of control lever 55 (Figure 3) and automatic cycling of the machine by depression of the motor repeat lever 51 normally results in the automatic printing of a proper negative total.

Suitable means, including a slide 88 (Figure 4),

is provided to prevent slide 66 from moving forward during accumulating operations that are performed while the totaliaer involved is overadditional mechanism to cause the presence of a positive balance in the lower totalizer to hold slide I4 (Figure 6) in its left position and to cause the presence of a negative balance to allow slide I4 to move to the right. This mechanism includes a bail 84 (Figure 3), similar to bail 8|, to whichis secured an arm having a pivotal connection with the lower end of a-pitman 86. The upper end of the pitman is slidabl supported on a rod 81 and has a laterally turned stop arm 88 (see also Figure 6) lyingin the same horizontal plane as stop arm I8. When the lower totalizer passes from positive to negative, a link I8I (Figure 3) is moved to the right, and when it passes from negative to positive, the link is moved to the left in the same manner as above described in connection with link 83. This has the effect of lowering and raising stop arm 88 similarly to the movements of arm I8.

Referring to Figure 6, a projection I82 on the left end of lever I4 lies in the path of a downwardly extending projection I83 on totalizer selection blank 34 (see also Figure 4). By these connections, when lever 2| is moved from either its forward (No. 1) or intermediate (No. 2) position to its rear (No. 3) position for selecting the lowr totalizer alone, projection I83 moves projection I82 to the left, swinging the right end of lever 84 (Figure 6) to the right against the tension of spring 86 until it lies opposite stop arm 88. Now, upon operation of the machine through a blank cycle, slide I4 is held in its left position if the balance in the lower totalizer is positive, and is allowed to move to the right if the balance is negative. As in connection with the upper totalizer, movement of slide I4 to the right allows slide 66 to move to the left for engaging the totalizer with the subtraction racks.

Following such conditioning of the lower totalizer during a blank cycle, the carriage tabulates to the new balance column, and upon the simultaneous depression of automatic total lever 55 and motor repeat lever 51., normally an automatic cycle is initiated, during which a negative total is printed if the lower totalizer contains a negative total.

8. Look to prevent automatic total taking from a totalizer containing a negative total As before stated, it is desirable in certain bookkeeping operations to prevent automatic printing of negative totals from either of the totalizers, so that the operator willbe notified that an overdraft has occurred. The following mechanism is therefore provided to prevent automatic against rod I08, limiting the clockwise movement and holding the bail in the position shown in Figures 3 and 6. An extension H2 formed on side I has a shoulder H3 arranged to engage the lower end of the vertical arm 64 of bell crank 62 when bail I04 is permitted to rock counterclockwise about rod 91. Such counter-clockwise movement of the bail is controlled by either of two levers H4 or H5 pivoted on rod 91 adjacent side I06 of the bail. A horizontal arm of lever H4 rests upon an extension H6 formed on stop arm 98, and a horizontal arm of lever H5 rests upon a similar extension I I1 formed on stop arm I8, verticallydepending' arms on each of the levers being tensioned by springs H8 and H8a respectively, in a counter-clockwise direction about rod 91, to hold the vertical arms in contact with the bail and the horizontal arms of the levers in contact with extensions H6 and I ll of the stop arms.

Each spring I I8 and I I802 is superior in strength to the spring I01. When the upper totalizer is I overdrafted and stop arm 18 lowered, as described in the preceding section, lowering of extension H'I' permits lever H5 to rock counterclockwise about rod 9'! under the tension of spring I Ilia. Counter-clockwise movement of the lever rocks bail I04 counter-clockwise against the tension of spring I01, and"'brings shoulder H3 into locking engagement with arm 64 of bell crank 62, as shown in Figure 8. This prevents movement of bell crank 62 from thrusting slide 65 to the left, and thus prevents automatic initiation of a machine cycle. Selector lever 51 may remain in its normal undepressed position while lug 56 (Figure 5) moves to, and remains in its normally effective position, through the presence of the customary bell crank 59 pivoted on the selector lever and normally maintained in operative position by a strong spring 60 that yields only when movement of the selector lever is so obstructed.

Similarly, when an overdraft occurs in the lower totalizer and stop arm 98 is lowered, the lowering of extension H6 permits lever H4 to swing counter-clockwise about rod 91. under tension of spring H8 to rock bail I04 in the same direction and place shoulder H3 in looking engagement with arm 64, as shown in Figure 7, also again locking the machine against an automatic cycle.

Restoration of either of the stop arms 18 or 98 by virtue of changing the balance in its corresponding totalizer from a negative to a positive character will, of course, cause itscorresponding extension H6 or H! to rise and swin its corresponding lever H4 or H5 clockwise about rod 91 against the tension of its spring H8 or H8a, whereupon spring I01 restores bail I04 to normal position shown in Figure 6, disengaging shoulder H3 from arm 64 and leaving the automatic motor repeat mechanism free to operate.

By the above mechanism, it is seen that when the carriage reaches the new balance column, wherein normally it would automatically print either a positive or a negative total from the selected totalizer, the automatic printing of such total is prevented when the totalizer contains a negative total. This notifies the operator of the occurrence of an overdraft. Of course, if the operator desires to print the negative total, this may be done in the usual manner by depressing motor bar I4, since the train of connections between the motor bar and the switch and clutch engaging mechanism are operable independently of the automatic motor repeat control of this mechanism, as fully disclosed in application Serial No. 581,800.

9. General release of negative total look by carriage control Since it is desirable to have the ovedraft lock become effective only in the new balance column, the following means are provided to prevent operation of the lock in the columns preceding the new balance column.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5, a selector lever I2I similar to selector lever 51 is pivoted on rod 50 and has its outer end lying above a rod I22, similar to red 6| and likewise suitably guided for vertical movement in the machine frame. The lower end of rod I22 rests upon a horizontal arm of a bell crank I23 pivoted on rod 63 and having a depending arm I24 that is formed with a flange I25 lying in the horizontal plane of a stud I26 fixed on bail I04. A spring I2! connected between arm I24 and the machine frame normally holds the parts in the position shown in Figure 3;

Lugs such as I28 (Figure 5)- are placed in those magazines 5 occupying all of the columnar positions on control plate 4 excepting the new balance lcolumnar position. As the carriage tabulates through these columns, the lugs I28 depress selector lever I2I and in turn rod I22, rocking bell crank I23 clockwise about pivot 63 against the tension of spring I21. This movement of bell crank I23 causes flange l25 to engage stud I26 and thus prevent bail 904 from moving into effective position, so that even though an overdraft has occurred in the selected totalizer during the course of the bookkeeping operations, the motor repeat mechanism is free to operate, the lock being defeated bythe above described mechanism until the carriage reaches the new balance columnar position. In this position, there is no lug I28 in the magazine 5 that control the taking of new balance totals, hence, if there is an overdraft in the totalizer at this time, the lock is free to become effective and prevent the printing of the negative total, as described in a preceding section.

10. Preventing a negative total in one totalizer from controlling automatic total taking in the other totalizer In the event that during a particular bookkeeping operation one of the totalizers has become ovedrafted, say, for instance, the upper totalizer, and it is decided to take a total from the lower totalizer, it is necessary to prevent the negative total look from being affected by the presence of the negative total in the upper totalizer. The following mechanism is provided to accomplish this.

A bracket I3I (Figure 6), having a. pair of laterally extending arms I32 and I33 formed thereon, is secured on lever 84. Arm I32 cooperates with an upward extension I34 formed on lever H5, and arm I33 cooperates with the vertical .depending arm of lever H4. Assuming that the upper totalizer has been selected, that an overdraft has occurred therein, and, in consequence, that bail I04 has swung to efiective locking position, as shown in Figure 8, now upon selection of the lower totalizer, as lever 84 is swung clockwise about pivot 85, arm I32 abuts extension I34 and rocks lever ll5'clockwise about rod 91. This movement releases bail .I04 from the tension of the spring HM, and permits spring I01 to restore the bail and withdraw shoulder I I3 from looking engagement with the motor repeat bell crank 62. This leaves the motor repeat mechanism free to be operated in connection with the operations to be performed with the lower totalizer.

Conversely, assuming that the lower totalizer has been cverdrafted, and bail I04 and its shoulder H3 are in effectiv position, as shown in Figure 7, selection of the upper totalizer causes arm I33 to abut the vertical arm of lever H4 and swing this lever clockwise about rod 91, whereupon shoulder H3 is withdrawn from looking engagement with the motor repeat bell crank 82 under tension of spring I07. The motor repeat mechanism is now in readiness to function in connection with operations to be performed with the upper totalizer.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: 1. In a machine of the class described, two adding and subtracting totalizers, means for selecting the totalizers, means for conditioning the machine to take a negative total from a selected totalizer, means for initiating a machine cycle,- and means under the control of the conditioning means for preventing operation of the cycle initlating means when the selected totalizer contains a negative total.-

- 2. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carriage, two adding and subtracting totalizers, mechanism for selecting one or the other of the totalizers, overdraft mechanism associated with each totalizer for conditioning the selected totalizer for taking a negative total, a portion of said overdraft mechanism being common to both totalizers and selectable for cooperation with the selected totalizer under the control of the totalizer-selecting means, means for initiating an automatic cycle of the machine, means controlled by the overdraft mechanism of the selected totalizer for preventing operation of said automatic cyicling means when the selected totalizer contains a negative total, and means under the control of th selectable common portion of said overdraft mechanism ior preventing the overdraft mechanism associated with the other totalizer from controlling automatic cycling of the machine while said other tctalizer is not selected.

3. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carriage, two adding and subtracting totalizers, mechanism for selecting either totalizer, overdraft mechanism for each totalizer for conditioning a selected totalizer to take a negative total, a portion of said overdraft mechanism being common to each totalizer and selectable for cooperation with the selected totalizer under the control of the totalizer-selecting mechanism, means under the control of the carriage for initiating an automatic cycle in predetermined columnar positions including a total-taking position, a lock for locking said automatic cycleinitiating means against operation, means normally tending to hold said lock in inefiective position, two means each under the control of the corresponding overdraft mechanism tending to move the look into effective position upon the occurrence of an overdraft, means operable by the said common portion of said overdraft mechanism to render one or the other of the said lockmoving means ineffective, in accordance with the totalizer selected, and means under the control of the carriage to prevent movement of the lock into effective position until the carriage tabulatm to the total-taking position.

WALTER A. ANDERSON. 

